Despite Apple and Samsung's numerous legal battles, the Cupertino-based tech giant is still tapping its South Korean rival to provide it the high-resolution Retina display when it releases the next version of the iPad mini, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The 7.9-inch tablet will begin mass production in the 4th quarter of 2013. But Apple is also tapping LG and Sharp to provide the Retina display. Although Apple was hesitant to include Samsung in its supply chain, it opted to since it wanted to ensure that it could meet buyer demand.

The current iPad Minis, released in November 2012, use screens from LG Display and AU Optronics of Taiwan, but it has lower resolution.

Apple is also reportedly planning to use multiple colour back covers for the upcoming tablet.

Tech observers said even if Apple routinely tests different designs and makes changes even if late in the design process, a Retina display in the next iPad Mini would be likely to match Google's release of the latest Nexus 7 tablet last week featuring a high-resolution screen.

Apple had actually inked an agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in its attempt to cut its supply relationship with Samsung, asking the Taiwan company to produce chips for it beginning 2014.

A manager at AU Optronics said it could not take Apple's order for Retina display because its output efficiency is too low to be profitable, adding that it does not make a profit producing the lower-resolution screen used by the current iPad Mini.

RELATED STORIES